Backlight module having concave struture

Abstract

A backlight module includes a light guide plate having opposite ends. The light guide plate has a light emitting surface and an opposite back surface connected to each other by the ends. The back surface has a concave contour whereby thickness of the light guide plate is gradually reduced from each end toward a center of the light guide plate. A light source includes a reflector mounted to each end of the light guide plate and a plurality of light tubes fixed inside the reflector and between the reflector and the end of the light guide plate. The light tubes are lined up in a direction inclined with respect to a normal direction of the light emitting surface. The reflector includes curved portions corresponding to the light tubes for reflecting light from the light tubes toward the end of the light guide plate. A reflective layer is formed on the back surface. The reflective layer defines a number of miniature cups having a hemispherical or multilateral pyramid configuration for reflecting light toward the light emitting surface.

What is claimed is:  
     
       1. A backlight module comprising: 
       a light guide plate having opposite ends, a light emitting surface and an opposite back surface connected to each other by the ends, the back surface having a concave contour wherein thickness of the light guide plate is gradually reduced from each end toward a center of the light guide plate; and  
       a light source comprising a reflector mounted to each end of the light guide plate and a number of light tubes fixed inside the reflector and between the reflector and the end of the light guide plate;  
       wherein the light tubes are lined up in a direction inclined with respect to a normal direction of the light emitting surface of the light guide plate.  
     
     
       2. The backlight module as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the back surface comprises a reflective layer. 
     
     
       3. The backlight module as claimed in  claim 2 , wherein the reflective layer forms a plurality of cups. 
     
     
       4. The backlight module as claimed in  claim 3 , wherein each cup has a multilateral pyramid cavity defined by a number of flat faces. 
     
     
       5. The backlight module as claimed in  claim 3 , wherein each cup has a hemispherical cavity. 
     
     
       6. The backlight module as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the back surface has an arcuate configuration. 
     
     
       7. The backlight module as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the back surface is comprised of a number of flat sections inclined with respect to each other. 
     
     
       8. The backlight module as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the reflector comprises at least one curved portion for reflecting light into the end of the light guide plate. 
     
     
       9. A backlight module comprising: 
       a light guide plate having opposite ends, a light emitting surface and an opposite back surface connected to each other by the ends, the back surface having a concave contour wherein thickness of the light guide plate is gradually reduced from each end toward a center of the light guide plate; and  
       a light source comprising a reflector mounted to each end of the light guide plate and a number of light tubes fixed inside the reflector and between the reflector and the end of the light guide plate;  
       wherein the end of the light guide plate forms a curved recess corresponding to each light tube.